I am always amazed, when I hear these works, that they are so
seldom played in concert. Since Edo de Waart and the Netherlands
Wind Ensemble’s pioneering complete recording of these pieces
in 1970 and 1971, for Philips (6500 097), they have been known
and heard. It’s not as if any of them require an abnormally
large group, or include any exotic instruments – the Sonatina
and Symphony contain parts for basset horn, but that’s
as far as unusual demands go.

Like his Horn Concertos, these works very nicely book–end
Strauss’s composing career, and they all have similarities.
What is most noticeable is that the early Strauss’s classical
writing is echoed in the later works, but with the added understanding
of a lifetime of experience. This is why one can put an early
and a late work on the same disk and there not be a huge surprise
between pieces - the style is so obviously the same. That’s
a simplistic way of saying that Strauss’s musical DNA was consistent
and matured with the passing years.

The earliest work is the one movement Serenade, a delectable
concoction, which one can almost imagine being played beneath
the beloved’s window, even if it is slightly more fully scored
than that kind of piece might be. The four movements of the
Suite, op.4, a slightly later work than the Serenade,
despite the earlier opus number, are a simple joy, with good
tunes and nicely worked out part-writing which gives everyone
something to do. With Strauss’s understanding of the orchestra
there isn’t a dull moment. The Gavotte is particularly
entertaining.

Sixty years later Strauss re-discovered the joys of the wind-band
but, after writing his big orchestral works and getting to grips
with the balance between wind and brass he here added a couple
of extras in the Sonatina – the C clarinet and basset
horns – in order to give better weight to the woodwind and create
a more homogenous sound with better internal balance. The title
– From an Invalid’s Workshop – refers to the fact that
the composer was recovering from a bout of influenza early in
1943. But there’s nothing of the invalid about this music. Indeed,
I find this work quite jolly, certainly, it’s not a serious
work, and neither is there any suggestion of either old age
or fatigue – Strauss was almost 80 at the time of composition.

The same is true of the Symphony – a bold and virile
work in four big movements. This is the crowning glory of Strauss’s
works for wind band and what a piece it is! There’s a very serious
intent in the first movement, with severe and intricate working
out of the material and some very Helden writing for
the horns! The middle two movements provide light relief. The
finale is a large-scale Introduction and Allegro, filled
with the most brilliant writing for the woodwinds. The sound
is rich and full.

These performances, made with three almost entirely different
ensembles – as you’d expect from a student group, and with Verity
Gunning, daughter of composer Christopher Gunning, playing in
the Symphony – are of the highest standard. Keith Bragg’s
direction is faultless. The recorded sound is very well balanced,
and the wonderful acoustic of the Duke’s Hall has been used
to best advantage in giving space to the performers and allowing
the full textures to register clearly.

Review
IndexesBy
Label Select a label and
all reviews are listed in Catalogue orderBy
MasterworkLinks
from composer names (eg Sibelius) are to resource pages with links to
the review
indexes for the individual works as well as other resources.

Reviews
from previous monthsJoin the mailing list and receive a hyperlinked weekly update on the
discs reviewed. detailsWe welcome feedback on our reviews. Please use the Bulletin
Board
Please paste in the first line of your comments the URL of the review to
which you refer.